Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services announced today the completion of the first edition, "A Field Guide to Common Riparian Plants of New Hampshire." The guide is currently available only on-line in .pdf format via the DES web site.

The full-color field guide was created for both VRAP volunteers and others to assist in identifying common native and non-native riparian plant species. Over 70 plant species are described in the text, with additional live specimen scans and habitat photos.

The field guide is organized into six sections:

In the Water: Submerged Aquatic Plants: Plants that have most of their leaves growing under water; some floating leaves may also be present. They are found from shallow to deep zones.

On the Edge: Emergent Herbaceous Plants: Plants that have leaves that extend above the water’s surface and are usually found in shallow water.

Ferns: Non-flowering plants that bear spores rather than seeds with flattened leaf-like "fronds" that are further divided.

Woody Shrubs: Woody plants which are generally shorter than trees and smaller in trunk size. They have clusters of stems rising directly from the ground and generally have a "bushy" appearance with no special crown shape.

Climbing Vines: Plants with a weak stem that derive support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface.

The Canopy (Trees): Woody plants that usually grow from the ground with a single erect stem or trunk. The main stem may be massive and is often unbranched for several feet above the ground. Trees can reach a considerable height at maturity.